1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to apparatus and methods for construction and organization of machine recognizable binary codes employed in data handling and transmitting systems. More particularly, this invention relates to a novel apparatus and method for construction and organization of machine recognizable binary codes based on systematic ordering of a sequence of decomposed stroke elements of the ideographic characters to provide a platform to build a computer and data transmission system derived directly from a language represented by ideographic writing characters.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Due to the large number of individual writing characters and the complexity of graphic representation for each writing character in an ideographic language system, e.g., Chinese, Japanese Kanji, and Korean, very limited computer processes can be applied to these characters other than representing each of these writing characters as a special graphic entities. For that reason, all industrial standards for binary bit patterns employed for representing textual contents for data handling and transmitting systems are derived from a linguistic system which is alphabetic-based, e.g., ASCII code based on English alphabets. Technical difficulties still exist by many previous efforts in attempt to overcome this limitation. Application of the ideographic-based languages, e.g., Chinese, as a programming language for computer or to develop a standard code of binary bit-patterns applicable for broad spectrum of data handling and transmission operations still seem to be entirely impractical. In contrast to the limited number of alphabetic elements used in English for text representation, Chinese language includes about 8000 to 20,000 writing characters depending on the level of writing sophistication. Besides the requirements involves in recognizing and managing this large number of individual writing characters, each of these typographic symbols is further composed by arrangements of stroke elements of different degree of graphic and structure complexities. While the highly sophisticate human brain can manage the complex task of applying these writing characters in developing culture and civilization with ancient traditions, modern computers, with the limited processing power and learning abilities, and without more complicate two-dimensional graphic recognition capability, become completely overwhelmed and incapable to effectively adapt to an ideographic based language such as Chinese which is more graphic in nature.
Considering the fact that languages, e.g., Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, based on different typographic character writings are spoken and written by large proportion of world population today, this language limitation of modern computers and various data handling and transmission systems often imposes a language handicap to these peoples who are not well versed in English. It is not only desirable that this limitation can be overcome such that the application of computer technology can be employed more directly by non-English speaking peoples. But also that higher speed of progress and advancement in technology can be expected when more people have the opportunity to operate and program various processors without being limited by linguistic ability in English.
A machine adapted for selection of complete typographic characters by multiple key operation is disclosed in a U.S. Pat. No. 2,950,800 by Caldwell entitled "Ideographic Type Composition Machine" (issued on Aug. 30, 1960). In order to provide an easy to use type composing machine for Chinese and other similar ideographic languages, Caldwell discloses a useful feature to reduce the number of input keys to represent a character. A typographic character is managed as an "ensemble" and each "ensemble" is analyzed into a plurality of "symbols" wherein each "symbol" are either the elemental strokes or frequently used combinations of elemental strokes with each combination referred to as an "entity". The selections of input keys are performed based on the fact that the writing of an ensemble is accomplished by marking the assembly symbols in a particular recognized sequence. Caldwell discloses a 31-symbol-key machine to provide key selection to compose the writing of an "ensemble", i.e., a Chinese character. Caldwell further discloses a coding means operated in association with the keys for representing each symbol by a binary code. The number of digits used to express a stroke or special instruction is dependent on the frequency of its use.
The invention of Caldwell presents some useful concepts. However, since the invention is focused on the construction of a key board for a type-machine, it does not provide a linguistic basis, generally referred to as a platform, upon which a Chinese computer system can be built. Many key construction elements are incomplete that a computer system or data handling and transmission system can be formed with operations controlled and directed by machine codes derived entirely and directly from Chinese program languages or commands.
In another U.S. Pat. No. 4,689,743, entitled "Method and Apparatus for Validating the Electronic Encoding of an Character" (issued on Aug. 25, 1987), Chiu discloses a method and apparatus for validating the electronic encoding of an incoming ideographic character. The ideographic characters are encoded according to a group of predetermined basic stroke elements and sequencing rules of strokes. The incoming characters are first analyzed by the use of a complexity analyzer to determine the level of complexity for each character. A table lookup search is then performed to match the code of the incoming characters with a list of standard table listing a plurality of characters and corresponding codes. A closest match is then determined to generate as an output for representing the validated incoming character. Chiu's invention could be useful to increase the accuracy and efficiency of construction of characters represented by codes. However, the disclosure does not teach a platform to build a data handling and management system based on binary codes derived from the ideographic characters of a linguistic system.
Yan discloses in another U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,202 entitled "Oriental Language Processing System", a processing system where the Chinese, Japanese, or Korean characters are converted into readable code suitable for input through a small keyboard into an information processor. The ideographic characters are coded into a pronunciation portion and a determinative portion. The codes can be inputted from the keyboard to generated the output wherein the output generated by the processing system are conventional ideographic characters. Yan's disclosure represents another type of attempts in representing or encoding the characters by the use of pronunciations in addition to shapes. However, due to the fact that the pronunciations of characters are less intuitive and involve another layer of associations, Yan's method does not seem to provide any useful technique in developing a non-English computer programming system.
Therefore, a need still exists in the art of design and manufacture of data handling and transmission systems to provide a new platform upon which an ideographic linguistic system can be implemented as a high level language to build operating systems and programs for data and instruction communication. This platform is preferably intuitive and user friendly, and also can be easily adaptable to establish linkage and association to interface with the current English-based systems.